Examines why businesses need languages and in which contexts. This research encompassed an examination of published material; a questionnaire administered to officials in a service company, a manufacturing firm and a chemical company; and interviews with executives in these companies. Business people believe that language learning should begin…

Statistical process control (SPC), which employs simple statistical tools and problem-solving techniques such as histograms, control charts, flow charts, and Pareto charts to implement continual product improvement procedures, can be incorporated into human service organizations. Examples illustrate use of SPC procedures to analyze behavioral data…

Examination of the development of form/function relations of the prepositions "por" and "para" at different levels of proficiency in the interlanguage of study-abroad students in Granada, Spain, revealed "noncanonical" as well as "canonical" uses of these prepositions. The most common noncanonical uses were…

This survey of 510 special education teachers found that most teachers collect, record, and use data on student performance to determine instructional effectiveness, appropriate time to move students to the next skill, and which objectives have been met. Only one-third of teachers used graphs for displaying and interpreting data. (Author/JDD)

Connections between science and mathematics are emphasized in a series of activities related to the heart. Worksheets designed for multiple grade levels investigate (1) How Big Is Your Heart? (levels K-2); (2) Every Beat of Your Heart (levels 3-4); (3) What's the Beat? (level 5-6), and Heartifacts (level 7-8). Extensions of the activities are…

Presents a worksheet on graph paper that allows students to determine the perpendicular bisectors of given segments by folding the paper. Students then determine the slopes of the perpendicular bisectors and use inductive thinking to discover the relationship between the slopes of perpendicular lines. (MDH)

Birth and death certificates were correlated with information in the state Child Abuse and Neglect Registry on 104 abuse-related fatalities. Significant findings included young age of parents at first pregnancy; high rate of single parenthood; and lower educational achievement among mothers. A model for data collection is discussed. (Author/BRM)

Examines economic-attainment patterns of foreign-born male workers in the U.S. in 1980 to determine the influence of individual-level factors such as educational attainment, labor market experience, etc. Results indicate that, although microlevel characteristics are not complete answers, they are important for most foreign-born populations in…

Describes the use of a student-designed questionnaire to generate data for teaching statistical procedures and concepts. Maintains that students learn firsthand that data analysis is an integral part of the research process. Concludes that students find real data more interesting. (CFR)

Described is a simple electronic interface that can receive signals from up to four analog sensors and four event detectors and save the data on disk. Schematic diagrams, construction details, sample temperature plot and weather station logging programs, and a parts list are included. (KR)

Describes a study that used transaction log analysis to investigate the use of subject searching in the University of California's Online Union Catalog, MELVYL. Mathematical models of trends and patterns in the data are presented, problems with subject searching are explained, and remedies to subject searching problems are suggested. (62…

Discussion of science and math instruction for elementary and secondary students highlights the use of microcomputer-based laboratories (MBL). Data collection, storage, and display are discussed, the use of databases to organize and manage information is described, and the exchange of ideas with other students through telecommunications is…

Describes an activity in which students examine hypothetical exposure to toxins by being showered by different colored pieces of confetti over several visits to exposure sites. Students record quantities of confetti that stick to packing tape. Colors correspond to different toxins posing different health problems. Students process their findings…

Describes an inexpensive method for analyzing the cost-effectiveness of a liberal arts college's journal collection, based on measurements of journal use, journal subscription prices, and course enrollment by academic department. Explains data collection methods and presents results of collection analysis. Discusses the benefits of empirical…

Analyzes video recordings of postgraduate seminars in the Arts Faculty at a South African university in order to define the nature of this practice in South African tertiary institutions. This article exposes these seminars as sites of competition for the floor with significant imbalances in participation by different groups, reflecting different…